1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape cartridge, and more particularly to a tape cartridge that has an improved fit between a reel and a driving portion of a drive.
2. Description of Related Art
A reel in a tape cartridge is rotationally driven while being connected to a drive shaft of a drive by engagement therewith. By rotationally driving the reel, a recording tape wound around the reel is taken up onto or drawn out from the reel. As a structure for driving the reel, a system in which power is transmitted by meshing gears is most commonly used.
In this driving system, as is exemplified by single-reel type tape cartridges, the reel is rotationally driven by meshing gear teeth formed on the lower face of a reel boss with a driving gear formed on the outer periphery of the upper end face of a drive shaft of a drive (see JP 2004-273014A and JP 2003-223774A).
However, in the driving system as described above in which gears are meshed with each other, there are cases where the gears do not mesh well with each other due to misalignment of the centers of rotation. Moreover, when the gear precision is not ensured, there are cases where displacement occurs in the position of fit between a gear portion of the reel and a gear portion of the drive shaft, resulting in an increase in the degree to which flange faces of the reel wobble. In this case, there is the possibility of a worst-case scenario, in which the tape and the flange faces make contact with each other and causes a malfunction.